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UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 BMWC-UDA i University of Nebraska at Omaha Facilities Development Plan 2006 -2015 I. Introduction A. Planning Direction 1 B. Campus Context 3 C. Concurrent and Cooperative Planning 6 D. Planning History 7 II. Planning Imperatives A. UN Strategic Planning Framework 9 B. UNO Mission, Vision and Values 10 C. Goals of the Plan 12 D. Guiding Principles 14 E. Implications for Growth 14 III. Planning Process A. Methodology 16 B. Steering Committee 16 C. Collaboration of Local and National Firms 17 D. Data Gathering and Immersion in the Campus 17 E. Focus Groups and Stakeholder Interviews 18 F. UNO Strengths & Challenges 19 G. Focus Group Ten-Year Vision 20 IV. Data Analysis and Assumptions A. Enrollment Trends 21 B. Faculty and Staff Trends 22 C. Housing 23 D. Classroom & Class Lab Utilization 23 E. Land and Building Inventories 27 F. Campus Building Space Needs 32 G. Utilities 34 V. Plan Concepts and Recommendations A. Dodge Property – Overview 35 2006 Facilities Development Plan 35 Existing Land Use 37 Future Land Use Analysis 39 Image Features 41 Circulation 42 B. Pacific Property – Overview 46 2006 Facilities Development Plan 47 Existing Land Use 48 Future Land Use Analysis 49 Image Features 51 Circulation 51

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Page 1: University of Nebraska at Omaha Facilities Development Plan 2006

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015

BMWC-UDA i

University of Nebraska at Omaha Facilities Development Plan 2006 -2015

I. Introduction

A. Planning Direction 1 B. Campus Context 3 C. Concurrent and Cooperative Planning 6 D. Planning History 7

II. Planning Imperatives

A. UN Strategic Planning Framework 9 B. UNO Mission, Vision and Values 10 C. Goals of the Plan 12 D. Guiding Principles 14 E. Implications for Growth 14

III. Planning Process

A. Methodology 16 B. Steering Committee 16 C. Collaboration of Local and National Firms 17 D. Data Gathering and Immersion in the Campus 17 E. Focus Groups and Stakeholder Interviews 18 F. UNO Strengths & Challenges 19 G. Focus Group Ten-Year Vision 20

IV. Data Analysis and Assumptions

A. Enrollment Trends 21 B. Faculty and Staff Trends 22 C. Housing 23 D. Classroom & Class Lab Utilization 23 E. Land and Building Inventories 27 F. Campus Building Space Needs 32 G. Utilities 34

V. Plan Concepts and Recommendations A. Dodge Property – Overview 35

2006 Facilities Development Plan 35 Existing Land Use 37 Future Land Use Analysis 39 Image Features 41 Circulation 42

B. Pacific Property – Overview 46 2006 Facilities Development Plan 47 Existing Land Use 48 Future Land Use Analysis 49 Image Features 51 Circulation 51

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C. Center Property – Overview 54

2006 Facilities Development Plan 54 Existing Land Use 56 Future Land Use Analysis 56 Image Features 57 Circulation 57

VI. Implementation Recommendations

A. Overview 59 B. New Construction 60 C. Campus Deferred Maintenance, LB 605 61 D. Analysis of Potential Building Sites 61 E. Additional Studies 62

VII. Acknowledgements

VIII. Appendix

A. Maps

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INTRODUCTION

A. Planning Direction As a metropolitan university of distinction, the University of Nebraska at

Omaha (UNO) is an invaluable higher education resource in the Omaha

community and the State of Nebraska. Guided by its strategic goals of 1)

focusing on students, 2) academic excellence and 3) community

engagement, UNO is proud to be the institution of first choice for the

majority of its ever increasing freshmen classes. The Guinter Kahn

Addition to the Criss Library, the College of Public Affairs and

Community Service (CPACS) Building project, and continued

development of the Pacific and Center properties will offer exciting new

growth opportunities to this dynamic institution.

Student housing, including the planned addition of 400 beds during the

2007/08 academic year, serves as a catalyst to develop a strong sense of

community among students. Those residing on campus have increased

utilization of existing facilities, a trend that will continue as residential

housing is added incrementally. UNO is rapidly evolving into a 24-hour

campus, serving both residential and commuter students with a

variety of activities and amenities.

Celebrating its centennial in 2008, the university's physical environment

has expanded and transformed into an aesthetically beautiful campus. A

central pedestrian walkway unites the Dodge location's mix of traditional

and contemporary academic buildings constructed of brick and limestone.

These facilities are nestled into a thoughtful, inviting and sophisticated

metropolitan landscape, creating a strong sense of place within the Omaha

community.

The addition of the Pacific property in the mid-1990s created new growth

and programmatic opportunities for UNO. The Peter Kiewit Institute

(PM), a fusion of UNO's College of Information Science and Technology

and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Engineering, is a

I

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beacon for students and faculty in high tech disciplines. The additional

land also provided space for two student residence halls, parking, a state-

of-the-art conference facility and future academic facilities that have a

synergy with advanced technology development.

The recent addition of the Center property bordering Papio Creak is a

tremendous opportunity for UNO to expand campus services and

enhance university outreach. Placing UNO on another major east/west

Omaha circulator, this land offers great growth potential well into the

future. As this property and the Pacific property develop, care should be

taken to reinforce and complement the sense of place that exists at the

Dodge location.

The private development of Aksarben Village between the Pacific and

Center properties, will feature an eclectic mix of shops, offices and private

housing units. This will help unite UNO's southern-most location, offering

both those residing on, and commuting to, all three locations, increased

access to entertainment, shopping and services.

This plan addresses the development of new facilities and the reuse of

existing facilities on the UNO campus. As in the past, these improvements

must be viewed in the context of enhancing the academic experience for

students. Additionally, this plan must support the academic and Greater

Omaha communities, underscoring UNO's role as a metropolitan

university of distinction, seeking significant engagement within its urban

environment. Building on the high standards of previous campus plans, the

university is well-positioned to continue its advance guided by this

Facilities Development Plan.

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B. CAMPUS CONTEXT The University of Nebraska at Omaha has three primary locations, the

original Dodge location, the Pacific location acquired in the late 1990s and

the newest location south of Center Street. Areas outside of the UNO

campus, where UNO also occupies space, are The Brennan Labor Studies

Institute at the Peter Kiewit Conference Center in downtown Omaha and

the Collaborative Center at Offutt Air Force Base. UNO leases space,

along with UNMC, at 48th

and Farnam for outreach activities. UNO

Information Technology Services provides off-site computer labs in North

Omaha at 21st

and Ames Streets and in South Omaha at 33rd

and Q Streets.

These facilities are part of UNO’s outreach/community engagement

activities. The Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) has

offices and programs across the state – in Scottsbluff, North Platte,

Columbus and Lincoln. Subcontracted programming is also conducted at

Wayne State College and the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK).

NBDC’s Entrepreneur Shop is located in Omaha at approximately 132nd

and Center Streets.

Due to the lack of appropriate facilities on the UNO campus, athletic

facilities are dispersed to the following Omaha locations:

Baseball – Girls and Boys Town, 137th

and West Dodge Road

Softball – West Omaha Baseball Association, 78th

and D Streets

Tennis – Hanscom Park, 36th

and Martha Streets

Golf – Ironwood Country Club, 132nd

and Pacific Streets

Hockey – Qwest Center, 10th

and Cass Streets

UNO also maintains a presence on the UNK campus for the Master in

Social Work Program. UNO has offices at UNL for Criminal Justice and

Gerontology and UNO uses the Allwine Prairie Preserve and the T.L.

Davis Prairie for Biology instruction, research and public service. In

addition, UNO provides space on its campus for UNL’s College of

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Architecture, Education, Human Resources and Family Sciences and

Engineering.

This Facilities Development Plan will focus only on the facilities within

the Dodge, Pacific and Center Street locations. Each of the three locations

that make up the UNO campus has their own unique personalities and

development opportunities. This plan recognizes and builds upon each

location’s character to develop a unified UNO Campus Facilities

Development Plan.

The Dodge property is the historical UNO campus and has developed into

a beautiful metropolitan university that fronts Dodge Street on the north,

Omaha’s main east/west circulator. The vantage point presents a

wonderful window on UNO to its metropolitan community. Presently, the

majority of classes are taught at the Dodge location. The Dodge location

also contains athletics and administrative functions along with

approximately half of UNO’s student housing. The location is populated

with classic and contemporary collegiate-style red brick and limestone

facilities. It projects an image of a traditional university setting and has

strong visual icons in the Henningson Campanile and the Arts and

Sciences Hall Cupola. The Dodge property’s present boundaries are

Dodge Street on the north, Elmwood Park on the east and south and

residential neighborhoods to the west. The Dodge location also has a

strong east/west central pedestrian mall that serves the main entrances of

the majority of UNO’s classroom and administrative and student services

buildings. The Dodge location has a 1,500 vehicle parking structure on the

east boundry and surface parking scattered throughout which presents

large expanses of paving on the periphery. The plan’s long-term goal is to

minimize surface parking and consolidate it within three parking

structures which are evenly spaced across the campus from east to west.

The Pacific property was acquired from the Aksarben Future Trust in the

late 1990s and has served as UNO’s expansion zone for technology

programs and student housing. The Peter Kiewit Institute is the main

academic anchor and is joined by student housing structures at Scott Hall

and Scott Village. Co-located with Scott Hall is the Scott Conference

Center. The Pacific site has a more open suburban presence than the

Dodge location. This will change rapidly as additional academic facilities,

support structures and student housing populate the site and the new

landscaping continues to grow and mature. Also, the development of

Aksarben Village to the south will greatly enhance the campus

environment with many amenities that are not presently available.

Boundaries are Pacific Street to the north, middle class residential

neighborhoods to the east, the First Data Resources Office Park to the

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west and the Scott Technology Transfer Center and the planned Aksarben

Village to the South.

When the last Master Plan was revised in 1999, UNO had recently

acquired the former Knights of Aksarben property at Pacific Street and

was beginning to merge the new location with the original UNO Dodge

Street location.

As UNO embarks on the creation of the 2006 Campus Facilities

Development Plan, The institution is again blessed with the addition of a

second major acquisition of property. This time the acquisition is south of

Center Street with an eventual 17 acres of urban renewal land east of

Papio Creek and 56.1 acres from the former Chili Greens Golf Course

west of Papio Creek. This new acquisition is a major addition to UNO’s

land mass and provides tremendous future opportunities for university

outreach.

The existing condition of the site varies greatly depending upon which

side of Papio Creek you are viewing. The west side is the former Chili

Greens Golf Course and is primarily green space with mature trees, two

ponds, a club house and associated parking. The lower portion of the site

adjacent to the Papio Creek is within the flood plain and, if structures are

to be constructed there, it will require raising the grade and obtaining

Nebraska Resources District (NRD) approval. The east side of the Papio

is a collection of commercial and residential structures that vary from

blighted to standard low-rise one story office space. To use this property

in the future, it will require the removal of the existing structures, utility

lines and pavement associated with each structure. The 20 to 30 percent

of the property that is closest to the creek is within the flood plain and will

require raising the grade and NRD approval. UNO’s potential use for the

combined properties is outstanding and in the future it could hold

academic, university outreach facilities, housing, athletic and recreation

functions.

. The

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C. CONCURRENT AND COOPERATIVE PLANNING UNO’s concurrent planning projects that are underway or anticipated in

the future are:

DODGE

• Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building (HPER)

Feasibility Study

• Traffic and parking studies

PACIFIC

• College of Business Administration relocation

• Additional student housing

CENTER

• Infrastructure and development

One of UNO’s three strategic goals is to “Actively engage the

community”. In keeping with this goal, UNO was a participant in the

creation of the Omaha Destination Midtown Study to “create and

revitalize active and healthy neighborhoods in the midtown area”. The

recent culmination of a two-year planning process by Omaha’s business

leaders on the redevelopment of Omaha’s Midtown predicts additional

exciting opportunities for enhancing the areas adjacent to UNO. The

Aksarben Village development is consistent with the results of these

collaborative planning efforts.

Many of these midtown neighborhoods such as Dundee, Elmwood Park

and Aksarben are UNO’s neighbors and their enhancement is closely tied

to UNO’s future success. As a part of this ongoing commitment to be a

good neighbor with the community, UNO continues to provide

representation on many of these neighborhood associations.

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D. PLANNING HISTORY Even before its founding in 1908, the University was relying upon

planning as a strategic tool in the decision-making process. The original

planning for the university began in 1907 when university planners

projected “that over 200 pupils graduated annually from Omaha High

School, another 200 from Brownell Hall and Council Bluffs Schools.”

Their conclusion was “Omaha is therefore, still virgin soil in large

measure for the development of the educational enterprise.” These

conclusions led to the founding of the University of Omaha in a former

Victorian residence at 24th

and Pratt Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Today,

that commitment to planning is still alive with an active and viable

Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan provided the core guidance for this

UNO Facilities Development Plan.

UNO believes that planning documents must be living documents which

are renewed and adjusted as the dynamics of the modern world are

anticipated. Therefore, this plan is a revision and continuation of the

previous 1999 plan, just as that plan was an update of the 1990 UNO

Master Plan. Previous plans with a major impact upon the development of

UNO were the 1970’s Master Plans which outlined the acquisition of the

properties directly to the west of the Dodge location and the 1985 plan

Redick Hall Omaha University's First Building 1908 - 1917

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which defined much of the present Dodge location and its circulation road

concept.

Since the last 1999 plan, UNO has successfully achieved many of the

needed improvements that were identified. Some of the most notable

include:

• The program development and funding of the first phase of the

College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) project to

renovate and occupy the vacated Engineering Building.

• The addition of student housing units and resident parking at the

Pacific location and approval for an addition of 400 beds adjacent to

the existing Dodge student housing.

• Renovation and upgrading the Fieldhouse.

• Funding and construction of the UNO library addition and renovation.

• Completing renovations of Arts and Sciences Hall and Allwine Hall.

• Upgrading many UNO classrooms to “smart” classrooms.

• Increasing the number of student mini-study areas and lounges

throughout campus.

• Expanding community partnerships.

• Using open Aksarben lands for temporary recreation fields.

• Vacating and renovating space in the Eppley Administration Building

to expand and improve student services.

• Beginning program and needs analysis for an expanded HPER and

Student Health facility.

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PLANNING IMPERATIVES

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Facilities Development Plan is an

important element in the Strategic Planning Framework developed by the

University of Nebraska Board of Regents. UNO’s mission, vision, values

and strategic goals provided the structure for this planning effort. The

Facilities Development Plan’s coordination with, and integration of, the

strategic planning principles are critical to this plan’s success as a guide

for the future development of UNO.

A. NU STRATEGIC PLANNING IMPERATIVES FRAMEWORK

The Board of Regents established “A Strategic Planning Framework:

2005-2008” which consists of six overarching goals and objectives to

guide university-wide and campus planning. The six goals are addressed

by the UNO Facilities Development Plan.

• The University of Nebraska will provide the opportunity for

Nebraskans to enjoy a better life through access to high

quality, affordable undergraduate, graduate and professional

education.

• The University of Nebraska will build and sustain

undergraduate, graduate and professional programs of high

quality with an emphasis on excellent teaching.

• The University of Nebraska will play a critical role in

building a talented, competitive workforce and knowledge-

based economy in Nebraska in partnership with the state,

private sector and other educational institutions.

• The University of Nebraska will pursue excellence and

regional, national and international competitiveness in

research and scholarly activity, as well as their application,

II

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focusing on areas of strategic importance and opportunity.

• The University of Nebraska will serve the entire state through

strategic and effective engagement and coordination with

citizens, businesses, agriculture, other educational

institutions, and rural and urban communities and regions.

• The University of Nebraska will be cost effective and

accountable to the citizens of the state.

B. UNO MISSION, VISION AND VALUES MISSION

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Mission is “to be the University

of Nebraska’s metropolitan university. A university with strong academic

values and significant relationships with our community, that transforms

and improves lives.”

VISION

The vision established for the University of Nebraska at Omaha is “a

metropolitan university of high distinction – a university with strong

academic and scholarly values, distinguished by creative relationships

with the communities we serve.”

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Both the mission and vision stress the importance of community

relationships as keys to UNO’s success as Nebraska’s metropolitan

university. UNO has, therefore, invested in developing those relationships

with the Omaha community. These relationships, in turn, have opened the

door for the Omaha community to support, sustain, and positively impact

UNO. Community influences on UNO are, therefore, numerous and

positive. A number of community influences have affected planning

efforts at UNO. These include partnerships that have developed:

• Between the Omaha community and UNO in support of the arts.

• Among the Omaha community, UNO’s Peter Kiewit Institute, and

programs associated with the Colleges of Information Science and

Technology, and Engineering .

• Among the Omaha community and the Colleges of Business

Administration, Education, and Arts & Sciences.

• Between the Omaha community and UNO in support of athletics.

• Between the Omaha community and UNO in support of student

resource centers and university/community cooperation.

Emerging and potential future community partnerships are:

• A community-shared library services building.

• A shared child care facility.

• Development of facilities for a Service Learning Academy.

• University High School for metropolitan public school students with

special computing skills.

• Partnerships with the new Aksarben Village development.

VALUES

The Values that define the University of Nebraska at Omaha are to be “a

community that is a diverse group of individuals, sharing core values and

working together to accomplish a common mission and vision.” UNO:

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• Believes that knowledge enriches the lives of all people and is

committed to preparing students to face the challenges of living

and learning in an ever-changing world;

• Strives for an ideal educational partnership characterized by the

commitment of: students to learning; faculty to the highest ideals

of teaching, research, service; and staff to the highest standards of

education and service;

• Values the welfare, talents, and future of our employees and

commits to expanding their professional development;

• Values the educational, cultural, and economic strengths of our

communities and is committed to enhancing these through

teaching, research, service and outreach.

• Values educated and healthy citizens and is committed to offering

programs that improve their quality of life;

• Encourages, celebrates, and adopts the principles of inclusion,

representation, openness and diversity.

C. GOALS OF THE PLAN The strong strategic planning goals that were established in 1999 have

served UNO well in the last six years and are still applicable today. The

2006 Facilities Development Plan recognizes and builds upon the

following three primary goals of the UNO Strategic Plan.

GOAL 1: UNO places students at the center of its enterprise

• Continue to create student spaces that encourage social and

academic interaction between UNO students, faculty and staff.

• Expand opportunities for technology to enhance the learning

experience as a seamless and simple component of the learning

process.

• Continue to improve, consolidate and simplify student support

services at easily accessible locations.

• Develop facilities and a campus environment which creates a sense

of pride, attachment and participation of students, faculty, staff and

the community in campus life activities.

• Consolidate, increase and simplify parking and traffic circulation

routes for all of the UNO campus locations and upgrade and

improve travel between Dodge, Pacific and Center.

• Provide increased amenities for students in the form of recreation,

structured extracurricular opportunities and health services.

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• Continue to enhance the campus environment with special

emphasis on increasing campus green space, central gathering

spaces, landmarks and entry points.

GOAL 2: UNO strives to achieve academic excellence

• Continue to upgrade the teaching environment to provide

flexibility and technologically current space which supports both

traditional lecture presentation and evolving teaching

methodologies such as problem based learning, distance learning

and dynamic teaching methodologies.

• Continue to reduce fragmentation of college departments across

campus. Consolidate, renovate and upgrade existing college

facilities to provide flexible, efficient and technologically current

buildings.

• Encourage the development of facilities which maximize the use of

UNO’s limited land resources.

• Improve faculty, staff and student support spaces required to be

current with peer institutions.

• Encourage the use of a similar pallet of exterior building materials

in new and renovated facilities to reinforce the visual sense of

campus.

GOAL 3: UNO will actively engage with the urban, regional, national

and global communities

• Develop facilities which meet the varied ethnic and cultural needs

of the diverse UNO student, faculty and staff population.

• Provide facilities which encourage learning and collaboration for

students, faculty and staff to interact with the greater community

locally, regionally and nationally.

• Provide facilities and programs which draw the metropolitan

community into the UNO campus to interact and participate in the

UNO campus endeavor.

• Design facilities which meet the highest University and

professional standards of accessibility, sustainability, functionality

and safety.

• Continue to be actively engaged in the metropolitan area in

research, institutional support, outreach and internship.

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D. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The UNO Facilities Development Plan developed a series of principles

which should serve as a guide as UNO moves the concepts of the plan

forward to implementation.

• QUALITY – Create a first-class, competitive metropolitan

university

• CONNECTIVITY – Connect all three properties physically and

visually

• IDENTITY – Create “gateway” entrances, identities and central

gathering places

• AMENITIES – Increase the variety of student amenities for

housing, recreation, health, parking and pedestrian experiences

E. IMPLICATIONS FOR GROWTH As UNO moves forward to execute the Facilities Development Plan there

are several important implications for achieving the enrollment growth of

1.5 percent per year targeted by the University Board of Regents.

UNO’s present enrollment for 2005 is 14,886 students. An annual

addition of 1.5 percent will bring enrollment to 17,400 UNO students by

the year 2015. This is an addition of 2,514 students or an increase of 16.8

percent in the next ten years. Without the infusion of additional financial

support for increasing faculty, teaching facilities and support it will not be

possible to achieve the 1.5 percent growth.

Another impact on growth are existing boundaries for the UNO campus.

Land acquisition is expensive and difficult to achieve. The recent

acquisition of the Center property will provide long-term options for

campus growth and university outreach to the south. The Center property

however, should not be considered a cure all for UNO’s land shortage. In

less than a decade the Pacific property has become over 50 percent

occupied with new facilities. Because of UNO’s location at the

metropolitan center of the state it will continue to grow more rapidly than

the less-populated areas. Since 1968 when UNO joined the University of

Nebraska system, its land mass has increased in size five fold. In 1968

few people would have anticipated this expansion. Present trends at other

metropolitan universities suggest that this will continue to be the case well

into this century. Therefore, UNO should continue to look for and

embrace opportunities for growth wherever possible to ensure that future

UNO students have the resources necessary to maintain the existing

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expectations for high academic standards, and the educational and student

facilities that support them. Pre

With the arrival of the X and Y generations to college campuses, there has

been a new demand for programs and facilities that add additional student

amenities. Despite UNO’s best efforts, they are falling behind peer

institutions in this area. The last five years has seen an explosion in non-

academic construction on college campuses. Typically, these facilities are

for recreation and athletic venues, student unions, upscale student housing

and high-tech libraries with coffee and retail shops housed within. Most

of these projects are constructed from student fees and private donations

and are not tied to state funding.

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PLANNING PROCESS

A. METHODOLOGY The UNO Campus Facilities Development Plan, as a related component to

the UNO 2006 Strategic Plan, will continue to be updated on a regular

basis in order to be maintained as a relevant and useful planning

document. The campus physical plan is intended to function as a

dynamic, working reference resource for UNO campus planners,

University of Nebraska Office of the President, the Board of Regents, the

NU Foundation and other stakeholders in regards to the physical space

needs and facilities goals for the UNO campus. This facilities

development plan is intended to provide general structure to the planning

process for UNO’s future space needs. Its main purpose is to focus upon

facility issues at UNO and should be used to give direction in the planning

of the general size and location of future remodeled and newly constructed

facilities at UNO. The development of this document is based upon

several criteria:

• Maintain a pragmatic, forward thinking perspective that advances the

goals and objectives identified in the UNO 2006 Strategic Plan.

• Assume a target student enrollment at UNO of 17,400.

• Assume that the size of the UNO faculty and staff will increase only as

necessary to support enrollment increases.

• Provide projections in a ten-year time frame.

• Ensure the plan is grounded in political and economic realities.

B. STEERING COMMITTEE A steering committee was developed to guide the planners as they created

the UNO Facilities Development Plan. Their function was to give

direction, act as a sounding board for new ideas, suggest alternative and

innovative solutions and provide historical and current perspective on

III

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UNO’s facilities, manpower, enrollment, financial resources, challenges

and role within the NU system. The committee met at appropriate

intervals to review progress on the plan and provide input. They also were

instrumental in helping with the identification of key stakeholders to be

interviewed and establishing a time line for the Facilities Development

Plan.

C. COLLABORATION OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL

FIRMS

In 2004 the University of Nebraska Office of the President requested that

each of the University of Nebraska campuses update their respective

Facilities Development Plans. In June of 2005, the University of

Nebraska at Omaha chose to contract BMWConsulting, Inc. (BMWC) to

begin the process of updating the Campus Facilities Development Plan.

Near the end of 2005, UNO became fully aware of the exciting new

proposal for the Aksarben Village development on the Aksarben Future

Trust Property. Aksarben Village, as a high–quality, mixed-use

development between the UNO Pacific and Center properties, offered a

unique opportunity for enhancing the quality of life for students and

providing a strong connection between the UNO Pacific and Center

locations.

In order to ensure cooperative and supportive development in the future,

BMWC collaborated with Aksarben Village planner, Urban Design

Associates (UDA). UDA’s efforts were focused on the Pacific and Center

Street locations.

D. DATA GATHERING AND IMMERSION IN THE

CAMPUS The preparation of this plan was a team effort headed up by the Steering

Committee and planners who immersed themselves in the UNO Campus.

The process that was followed began with review of the 1999 plan to

determine what goals had been achieved and how priorities had changed.

Next, individual interviews were conducted with deans, directors, students

and community stakeholders. In addition over ten open focus groups were

held to gain input on how people viewed UNO’s strengths, challenges and

what their future vision for UNO was. During this time the planners were

analyzing the UNO locations for land use patterns, pedestrian and

vehicular circulation, and condition of facilities, parking, boundaries, and

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highest and best land use for the UNO locations and the surrounding

metropolitan community.

E. FOCUS GROUPS AND STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Over the next few months, BMWC and UDA met with over 75 individuals

and held individual interviews with many of them including all of the

deans, many of the UNO directors, students active in campus affairs,

administrative staff and community leaders. They also held over ten focus

groups with community leaders, faculty, administration and both open and

invited student forums. During these forums, preliminary planning was

reviewed and discussions were held to gain insight into UNO’s strengths,

challenges and what the group saw as the future vision for UNO, both as

an academic institution and also as a vital part of the Metropolitan

community.

During the focus group process, the specifics of the Dodge, Pacific and

Center properties were discussed and evaluated and a great deal of energy

was spent discussing the best way to weave the three locations into a

united UNO campus. One of the key items that surfaced as a part of the

focus group process is the need to keep UNO as a single unified campus in

the minds of those who work and study there and also in the mind of the

greater Metropolitan community.

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F. UNO STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES The result of the data gathering and interviews was a clear picture of

UNO’s present conditions and future expectations. The major strengths

and challenges of UNO are listed below:

STRENGTHS:

• Academic excellence of faculty and students

• UNO’s location as an urban campus in a major metropolitan

area

• Student life amenities and clubs

• The beauty of the campus building and grounds

• The opportunity for community engagement of programs and

students

• The diversity of students, faculty and staff

• On-campus student housing

• Friendly inclusive UNO family feeling

• The strong support of the Omaha community and alumni

• UNO’s pride, spirit and work ethic

CHALLENGES:

• Insufficient parking at the Dodge location

• The separation of the UNO locations and the travel time

required

• Insufficient intramural and athletic fields

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• The lack of a central campus gathering space

• Commuter students have limited engagement with the campus

• Shortage of student housing

• Substandard “student life” amenities such as HPER and the

student union

• Lack of designated parking and difficult way finding for

campus visitors

• Insufficient meeting and conference space

• The lack of a recognized “student scene” near campus

G. FOCUS GROUP TEN-YEAR VISION The most important task of the Facilities Development Plan is to develop a

plan which recognizes the potential of the UNO campus and plans for the

physical environment and facilities that are required to reinforce and

support the ten-year vision. Through the input of the Focus Groups and

the Steering Committee, a clear vision crystallized of the most important

issues for the successful future development of the UNO campus.

Throughout the focus groups and interviews the following items continued

to surface from all constituents as critical to the future success of UNO.

• Increase student housing

• Continue to enhance UNO’s strong relationships with the

Metropolitan Omaha businesses and neighborhoods

• Increase academic and student life facilities including the

renovation and enhancement of many of UNO’s existing facilities

• Relocate related academic programs to the Pacific Street location

• Achieve adequate parking at all locations (The Dodge site

provides the greatest challenge for adequate parking)

• Increased intramural and athletics facilities

• Integration of all three properties, Dodge, Pacific and Center as a

single UNO campus

• Continue to enhance the campus green space. The Dodge property

is living evidence of the wonderful effect of a dedicated

landscaping and campus green space program

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DATA ANALYSIS AND ASSUMPTIONS Data collection and analysis included student headcount enrollment, trends

in staffing, housing, classroom utilization, recreation area usage, parking

and traffic, land and building space, and utilities capacity. The campus

future needs were calculated using projected increases in enrollment,

research, faculty and staff and University of Nebraska space guidelines.

The result is the development of this facilities development plan.

A. ENROLLMENT TRENDS Enrollment trends at UNO show a gradual increase in student enrollment

and also increases in the credit hours per student. The headcount of

enrolled students at UNO increased from 1998 to 2005 and the average

credit hour load per student also increased during this period. During this

time, the number of credit hours per student also increased from 9.9 in

1998 to 10.7 credit hours in 2005.

This is a direct result of UNO evolving from a strictly commuter campus

to a more residence-based metropolitan university. Total student

headcount enrollment at UNO has increased by approximately 6.8 percent

since 1998 (the year data was collected for the space analysis and

projections for the 1999 Plan). The 1998 Fall total student enrollment was

13,927. This number has increased to 14,886 students in the Fall of 2005.

Several factors have contributed to keep this figure lower than anticipated

in the 1999 plan: limited student housing,, financial resources, full time

faculty and supporting staff, and the high utilization of existing academic

teaching space. Without additional support in the form of financial and

physical resources, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for

UNO to meet the NU Board of Regents targeted enrollment growth of 1.5

percent per year.

IV

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Figure VI.A.1

UNO Headcount Enrollment Trends (Fall Semester)

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Enrollment

Undergraduate 12,221 11,664 11,385 11,345 11,578 12,101 12,305 12,064 11,884 12,122

Graduate 2,779 2,635 2,542 2,605 2,785 3,005 3,118 2,895 2,783 2,764

Total 15,000 14,299 13,927 13,950 14,363 15,106 15,423 14,959 14,667 14,886

Student Credit Hours by Level of Instruction:

Undergraduate 127,072 123,866 124,284 126,454 132,274 139,798 144,120 141,879 140,190 144,565

Graduate 14,408 14,022 13,600 13,608 14,326 15,745 16,399 15,684 14,721 15,028

Total 141,480 137,888 137,884 140,062 146,600 155,543 160,519 157,563 154,911 159,593

Average Credit Hour Per Student:

Undergraduate 10.4 10.6 10.9 11.1 11.4 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.9

Graduate 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.2 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.3 5.4

Total 9.4 9.6 9.9 10.0 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7

% Full-Time Students: 52.1% 54.0% 56.5% 58.3% 60.0% 61.2% 62.8% 63.6% 64.4% 66.0%

Total 7819.0 7715.0 7875.0 8133.0 8619.0 9241.0 9691.0 9516.0 9444.0 9829.0

Given the necessary financial support from the public and private sectors,

UNO sees no difficulty in achieving the desired 1.5 percent increase in

enrollment. This would increase from the present 14,886 student head

count in 2005 to 17,400 students by 2015.

B. FACULTY AND STAFF TRENDS The number of faculty and staff at UNO has remained relatively flat since

1999. If it is anticipated that enrollment will increase 1.5 percent, UNO

will increase headcount by 2,514 students to a total of 17,400. For UNO

to adequately provide the necessary instruction and support services a

comparable increase in faculty and staff will be needed. In order for this

to be achieved, additional financial resources will need to be allocated for

this growth.

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C. HOUSING Student housing at UNO is a fairly recent development and has only

existed since the late 1990s with the construction of units at University

Village at the Dodge location to house 568 students. In 1999 this

accounted for four percent of the student population. In 2000 the Scott

Residence Hall was constructed at the Pacific location and contained space

for 164 students. This was followed by 480 student beds at Scott Village,

also at the Pacific location, for a total capacity of 1,212 students which

was eight percent of the UNO student population. UNO is presently

reviewing proposals to construct the second phase of student housing at

the Dodge location. This phase will house an additional 400 students for a

total of 1,612 available student housing beds serving 11 percent of the

current UNO student population. On average, peer institutions provide

student housing for 13 percent of their student population.

Figure VI.C.1

D. CLASSROOM AND CLASS LAB UTILIZATION The utilization figures show that UNO exceeds the University of Nebraska

targeted classroom utilization of 30 hours per week. The average

utilization of UNO’s classroom space for all classrooms averages 36 hours

per week or 20 percent above the target. The utilization statistics do not

address the quality of learning space, the adaptability of the spaces to new

trends in teaching or available technology at the space. Of the UNO

facilities being used, the highest utilization occurs with the 40-59 seat

classrooms with a utilization of 46 hours per week, more than 50 percent

above suggested full utilization. The strong demand for high-tech

classrooms and flexible teaching spaces is the trend and will only increase

in time. The need is for education space that allows for a wide range of

teaching styles, from traditional lecture seating to dynamic problem-based

and small student work groups. Since 1999, UNO has made a concerted

effort to inventory and upgrade all classrooms to be “smart” classrooms.

This plan is being implemented as rapidly as funding allows. Presently

UNO Students Living on Campus

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

University Village 568 568 568 568 568 568 568

Scott Residence Hall 164 164 164 164 164 164

Scott Village 480 480 480

Total 568 732 732 732 1212 1212 1212

% of All Students 4.1% 5.1% 4.8% 4.7% 8.1% 8.3% 8.1%

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there are 46 classrooms which contain 2,710 seats that are “smart”

classrooms. This accounts for 33.5 percent of the 137 classrooms at UNO

or 40 percent of the 6,663 classroom seats available.

Figure VI.D.1

Classroom Utilization(Weekly Hours Scheduled - Fall 2005)

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

50.0

10 - 19 20 - 29 30 - 39 40 - 59 60 - 99 100 - 199 200+ All Classrooms

Classroom Size

Ho

urs

Sch

ed

ule

d

Figure VI.D.2

Student Station UtilizationFall 2005

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

10 - 19 20 - 29 30 - 39 40 - 59 60 - 99 100 - 199 200+ All

Classrooms

Classroom Size

Stu

den

t S

tati

on

Uti

liza

tio

n R

ate

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The University’s guideline for evaluating class laboratory utilization is a

scheduling rate of at least 20 hours per week and a student station

occupancy rate of 65 percent.

At UNO, class laboratories are scheduled an average 21 hours per week

with a student station utilization rate of 82 percent. The UNO campus

class laboratories exceed the scheduling guideline hours by 27 percent

Class lab sizes of 30 to 39 seats are the most heavily utilized with a 100

percent utilization rate. UNO student station utilization rates for class labs

exceed the guideline of 65 percent in all size categories except the large 50

to 59 seat class lab sizes.

These facts point to the need for additional resources for classroom and

class lab creation if growth of 1.5 percent is to be achieved.

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Figure VI.D.3

Class Lab Utilization(Weekly Hours Scheduled - Fall 2005)

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

5 - 19 20 - 29 30 - 39 40 - 49 50 - 59 All Labs

Class Lab Size

Ho

urs

Sch

ed

ule

d

Figure VI.D.4

Class Lab Student Station UtilizationFall 2005

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

5 - 19 20 - 29 30 - 39 40 - 49 50 - 59 All Labs

Class Lab Size

Stu

den

t S

tati

on

Uti

lizati

on

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E. LAND, BUILDING AND PARKING INVENTORIES BUILDING INVENTORY

The University of Nebraska at Omaha has a total building inventory of

nearly 2.5 million gross square feet (GSF), including parking structure. Of

that amount 1,661,939 GSF, or 66.7 percent, is at the Dodge location.

There is 366,880 GSF, or 14.7 percent at the Pacific location. The 9.129

SF clubhouse at the former Chili Greens is the only existing structure

anticipated to remain at the Center location. There is 438,068 GSF in the

parking structures at UNO which accounts for 17.6 percent of UNO’s total

building area. Located off campus, the North 16th

Street storage facility

and Allwine Prairie together contain 16,555 GSF or less than 1 percent of

the total.

Figure VI.E.1

ROOM USE INVENTORY

UNO has a total net assignable area of 1,216,772 GSF. Office facilities

comprise the largest category at 23.5 percent, followed by Class Lab

facilities, Special Use facilities, and General Use facilities. Classrooms

and Class Laboratories combined account for 27.1 percent of the net

assignable space.

UNO Gross Building Area

Location Gross Square Feet Percent of Total

Dodge 1,661,939 66.7%

Pacific 366,880 14.7%

Center 9,129 0.4%

Allwine 2,257 0.1%

North 16th Storage Facility 14,298 0.6%

Parking Structure 438,068 17.6%

Total GSF 2,492,571 100.0%

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Figure VI.E.2

PARKING

UNO has a wide range of parking types and quantities both on and off

campus. At the Dodge location there are 3,471 spaces available and there

is a constant shortage of adequate parking. Both surface and structured

parking are provided. The structured parking accounts for approximately

1,500 spaces with surface parking making up the remainder of the 3,471

spaces. At the Pacific location there are 1,995 surface parking spaces. For

the present facilities, the quantity and location of parking is adequate. At

the Center location there are approximately 200 spaces at Chili Greens.

The remainder of the existing scattered parking on the east side of the

Papio Creek will be removed. Future Center site parking quantities and

locations will be developed as necessary to support future functions. UNO

is also leasing 319 spaces from two of the churches across Dodge Street

and approximately 1,200 vehicles a day make use of the Crossroads Mall

leased parking structure. Total on-campus parking is 5,666 with an

additional 1,619 spaces leased off campus for a total of 7,285 spaces. If all

parking were on campus, this quantity would meet parking formula

guidelines. Unfortunately, much of the parking is not where it is needed

or desired and is, therefore, used only as a last resort or not at all. Also,

there is no guarantee how long UNO will be able to continue to use the

1,519 spaces off site. Any rapid loss of these spaces would put UNO in a

serious situation. The construction of two additional parking structures

similar to the existing 1,500 car garage located on the east side of the

Dodge property would be needed.

UNO Net Assignable Area Room Use Net Assignable Square Feet Percent of Total

Classroom Facilities 115,652 9.5%

Class Lab Facilities 213,579 17.6%

Non-Class Lab Facilities 41,583 3.4%

Office Facilities 285,541 23.5%

Study Facilities 153,080 12.6%

Special Use Facilities 204,805 16.8%

General Use Facilities 135,299 11.1%

Support Facilities 67,233 5.5%

UNO Total 1,216,772 100.0%

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Figure VI.E.3

Figure VI

Vehicular circulation and parking-related goals include:

• Parking areas should be designed as compartments that are separated

by elevation changes and/or landscaping to create comfortable human

environment and scale.

• Parking at the Pacific location should be developed with landscaping,

pedestrian amenities and way-finding graphics.

• Whenever possible, structures should be low-rise and grading should

be utilized for minimal ramping and higher efficiency structures.

• All parking areas and pedestrian circulation routes leading to and from

them must meet safety, handicapped and security requirements,

including a high level of well-designed illumination and “blue light”

security phones throughout.

• Additional surface parking at the Pacific location will be needed to

provide parking for future facilities. If, in the future, surrounding

neighborhoods and parks are not available for student parking, there

will not be adequate parking within a reasonable walking distance of

the campus. In the future, parking structures may need to be

considered as a part of the Pacific property.

• At the Dodge location the focus should be to minimize surface parking

and concentrate the majority of parking in three low-rise parking

structures. The location of one on each end of campus and a third at

the center of campus would provide easy and convenient access to all

facilities on campus and additional opportunities for development of

green space or future academic facilities. The existing 1,500 space

garage on the east should be augmented with a new 1,200 to 1,500 car

parking structure at the west side of the Dodge location and a new 900

to 1,200 car garage near the library. These three structures would meet

UNO Parking Inventory

Location Structured Surface Total

Dodge 1,500 1,971 3,471

Pacific 0 1,995 1,995

Center 0 200 200

Leased 1,200 319 1,519

UNO TOTAL 2,700 4,485 7,185

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• the needs at the Dodge location for the foreseeable future. If these

structures are not constructed, it will severely limit the ability of UNO

to meet its future goals. The two new structures should emulate the

existing 1,500 vehicle garage and be recessed, low rise facilities with

minimum visual impact on the campus appearance.

• The University should continue to develop dedicated visitor parking

spaces that are accessible and conveniently located.

• Additional surface parking areas should be created at the Pacific

location. These parking areas would add spaces to help alleviate the

need required when additional housing and the proposed College of

Business Administration facility are constructed.. As additional

facilities are developed, there will likely be a need to create new

structured parking. A parking structure could most easily be located

on the east side where existing topography would accommodate up to

three levels of parking.

RECREATION

UNO has a strong history of recreation and intramural participation.

When compared to other institutions of UNO’s size, it becomes apparent

that there is a severe shortage of student recreation facilities. This is

especially evident in the shortage of outdoor recreation facilities.

Presently, it is not uncommon for intramural competition to continue until

midnight because of the shortage of recreation facilities. With the

development of the Pacific property for additional housing and academic

facilities the limited number of temporary fields on that site will be

displaced. Fortunately, with the addition of the former Chili Greens

property at the Center location, much of the shortage can be alleviated.

The portion of the Center property which is in the 100 year flood plain,

can be developed for a combination of soccer/football fields, softball and

baseball diamonds and have the flexibility to accommodate other

recreation activities which primarily require large, flat green space.

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UNO Outdoor Recreation Areas

Dodge Pacific Center

Type of Area Count Sq. Ft. Count Sq. Ft. Count Sq. Ft.

Tennis Courts 2 13,200 0 0 0 0

Basketball Courts 0 0 1 8,000 0 0 Wall Racquet/Handball Courts 0 0 0 0 0 0 Playing Fields, Grass 0 0 3 208,000 0 0 Playing Fields, Synthetic Turf 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mud Volleyball Pits 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sand Volleyball Courts 0 0 1 2,952 0 0 Horseshoe Pits 0 0 0 0 0 0 Putting Greens 0 0 0 0 0 0 Softball Diamonds 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shared Sports Complex 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotals 2 13,200 5 218,952 0 0

Grand Total 232,152 SF

5.3

Acres

In regards to indoor recreation facilities, the existing HPER facility is

approaching 30 years of age. While it has been a wonderful and highly

utilized facility on the UNO campus, it is in serious need of renovation

and expansion. A consulting firm has been selected and is being tasked

with the development of a program which will be based upon current

student needs. If this project is funded, it will be with student fees and, if

it is constructed, it will be a tremendous future resource for student

recreation activities.

UNO LAND

UNO has 412.4 acres. The Allwine Prairie Preserve accounts for the

largest portion, at 160 acres. The Dodge property is 88.7 acres, the Pacific

property is 76.9 acres and the Center property, presently owned by the NU

Foundation, is 67.4 acres. Other UNO land is located at the North 16th

Street storage facility with .5 acres and the NU Foundation-owned T.L.

Davis Prairie with 21.64 acres.

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UNO Land Inventory

Land Owned by the University of Nebraska

Location Acres

Dodge 88.7

Pacific 76.9

Allwine Prairie Preserve 160.0

North 16th Street Storage Facility 0.5

UNO Total 326.1

Land Owned by the NU Foundation

Center:

Chili Greens 56.1

South of Center 8.6

T.L. Davis Prairie (Elkhorn River property) 21.64

Total 86.3

Total University of Nebraska at Omaha Land 412.4

F. CAMPUS BUILDING SPACE NEEDS The following tables give an overview of the size and location of space

needs for the UNO campus based on University guidelines and planning

assumptions. The table shows a summary of existing space needs and

deficiencies broken down by room use. Note that the existing space totals

include the Peter Kiewit Institute and the renovations of Arts & Sciences

Hall, Allwine Hall and the Library addition.

All space type categories show a need for additional space even if there is

no increase in enrollment. With current enrollment there is a total

deficiency of 528,035 net square feet. If there were no addition to UNO’s

present space, and enrollment grew to the projected 17,400 students, the

ten-year plan would show a shortage of approximately 808,148 net square

feet.

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UNO Space Needs Projections

Fall 2005 Fall 2015

Space Type 2005 NASF

Projected Needs by NU

Guidelines Surplus/ (Deficit)

Projected Needs by NU Guidelines

Surplus/ (Deficit)

Classroom Facilities 115,652

133,619

(17,967)

155,070

(39,418)

Class Lab Facilities 213,579

281,321

(67,742)

326,485

(112,906)

Research Lab Facilities

41,583

69,105

(27,522)

80,199

(38,616)

Office Facilities 285,541

333,218

(47,677)

386,713

(101,172)

Study Facilities 153,080

209,697

(56,617)

243,362

(90,282)

Special Use Facilities 204,805

352,472

(147,667)

409,058

(204,253)

General Use Facilities 135,299

244,405

(109,106)

283,642

(148,343)

Support Facilities 67,233

120,970

(53,737)

140,391

(73,158)

UNO Total 1,216,772

1,744,807

(528,035)

2,024,920

(808,148)

The following points summarize the space needs analysis for a headcount

enrollment target of 17,400 students:

• Classrooms will require an additional 39,418 net square feet of

space, or about 34 percent more than currently exists. Assuming 20

to 25 nsf per student station, the space needed would provide about

1,200 to 1,576 additional classroom seats.

• The analysis of teaching laboratories (both class laboratories and

open laboratories) shows a need for an additional 112,906 nsf, an

increase of 52.8 percent over the current inventory. Teaching

laboratory student station size requirements vary from 15 nsf to

more than 100 nsf or more for disciplines such as art or

engineering.

• Additional research laboratory needs are estimated at 38,616 nsf,

92 percent greater than present

• Office and service space needs are projected to be 101,172 nsf

greater than today, or an additional 30 percent.

• Library space will be deficient by 90,000 nsf even after the

completion of the Guinter Kahn Addition to the Criss Library and

the renovation of the existing library.

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• The goal is to increase residential student housing to 2,400 beds

during this planning period.

While the plan identifies the existing needs, it does not attempt to satisfy

all of the calculated deficiencies. Rather, it attempts to project what is a

reasonable goal for this planning period and is focused on the highest

priority needs outlined in the UNO Strategic Plan. Not counted in this

space deficit is the amount of space at the UNO Campus that will be in

serious need of renovation before this ten-year plan is completed. The

need to renovate Durham Science Center, Roskens Hall, HPER, Strauss

Performing Arts Center and Kayser Hall before 2015 will add another

548,349 gsf of area that will require capital investment in order to keep

those facilities at appropriate levels of operation.

G. UTILITIES The average useful life of most mechanical heating and air-conditioning

systems is 25 to 30 years. Without major renovation to basic architectural,

structural, mechanical and electrical systems, numerous campus facilities

may be reaching the end of their useful life before the end of this Facilities

Development Plan of 2015. With the creation of the Guinter Kahn

Addition to the Criss Library, the Dodge Central Utilities Plant has

reached capacity. Any additional square footage to the UNO campus will

require an increase in central plant facilities or there will not be adequate

heating and cooling for the Dodge property.

The comprehensive Master Utilities Plan should be updated to determine

the status of all the utility, distribution and communication systems

including mechanical, electrical, data/video, sanitary and storm sewers and

telecommunications. This study should look at the condition and capacity

of the central utility plant on the Dodge property; the need, feasibility, cost

and timing of a potential utility infrastructure improvements at the Pacific

and Center locations.

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PLAN CONCEPTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A. DODGE PROPERTY OVERVIEW Since the 1999 Campus Master Plan was completed, UNO has been

successful at achieving many of the goals outlined in the plan. Some of

the major accomplishments at the Dodge location are the renovation of

Arts and Sciences Hall, Allwine Hall renovation and addition, funding of

the CPACS project, design and construction of the Guinter Kahn Addition

to the Criss Library and the beginning of 400 additional housing beds.

Additional goals that still need to be addressed are listed under the 1999

Master Plan. Adjacent is a listing of the major goals that have carried over

to the 2006 plan and new goals that are laid out for future facilities

development.

2006 FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT PLAN

1999 Master Plan

1. Proscenium Theater Addition at the Weber Fine Arts Building

2. Phase II of the Sapp Fieldhouse

3. Relocation of the College of Business Administration to the Pacific

property

4. Renovation of Kayser Hall

5. Renovation of Roskens Hall

2006 Facilities Development Plan 1. Proscenium Theater Addition at the Weber Fine Arts Building

2. Phase II of the Sapp Fieldhouse

V

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3. Relocation of the College of Business Administration to the Pacific

property

4. Renovation of Kayser Hall

5. Renovation of Roskens Hall

6. Renovation of Durham Science Center

7. Renovation of Strauss Performing Arts Center

8. Addition to Strauss Performing Arts Center

9. Renovation and Addition to HPER

10. Addition to the CPACS

11. KVNO Radio/UNO TV Addition to the Weber Fine Arts Building

12. Renovation of Criss Library

13. Construction of Two Parking Structures

14. Relocation of Facilities Management and Planning

15. Expansion of Central Utilities Plant

Facilities Development Plan The following map of the Dodge property is an illustration of the proposed

Facilities Development Plan.

FIGURE V.A.1

Dodge Facilities Development Plan

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EXISTING LAND USE The following map is an illustration of the general land uses that presently

exist.

FIGURE V.A.2

Land Use Definitions Academic

Land and buildings that are used primarily for education and research.

This area also includes the faculty and staff offices necessary to support the

teaching endeavor. It may also include museums, theaters, auditoriums,

TV and radio studios and student lounges

Administration

The land and buildings that are used for housing the University

Administration and staff offices. This includes the Registrar’s Office and

other counseling and student support functions necessary to keep the

University running smoothly.

Existing Dodge Land Use Drawing

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Athletics

Land and buildings devoted primarily to intercollegiate athletics including

playing and practice fields, courts, running tracks, stadiums, arenas, study

facilities, training facilities and coaching and administrative offices.

Facilities Management & Planning

Land and buildings necessary for the campus FM&P administrative offices,

maintenance facilities, steam and cooling plants, engineering shops,

grounds and maintenance.

University Outreach

Buildings and associated land which increases the interaction between

UNO and the Omaha Metropolitan area, the greater community of

Nebraska, the nation and the world. These include, but are not limited to,

alumni functions, community-shared child care, libraries, shared

conference and performing or recreational facilities, University High

School, shared research incubator facilities and educational facilities

designed to increase interaction with the university constituents.

Green Space

Open spaces that are landscaped and planted to enhance the campus

environment in the form of lawns, gardens, arboreta, pep bowls, as well as

public plazas, fields and research plots.

Parking

Land and buildings that are used for general parking for students, faculty,

staff and visitors. It also includes parking and storage for University

vehicles.

Student Housing

Parking and grounds that are associated with providing dedicated on-

campus student housing. This may also include basketball courts, lawns

and club houses.

Student Life

These are buildings and grounds which provide student amenities that

enhance the university campus experience. They encourage interaction,

support recreation, and aid in student socialization. These include facilities

such as student unions, recreation, and health facilities.

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FUTURE LAND USE ANALYSIS

Future land use zoning recommendations are illustrated in Figure V.A.3. FIGURE V.A.3

The Facilities Development Plan goals for Dodge land use zones include:

• Maintain the existing use patterns that support academic zones at the

campus core with support functions located at the perimeter.

Additional housing planned for the southeast portion will further

reinforce this zoning and provide an opportunity for a heightened sense

of community for residential students.

• Education is at the heart of the campus zoning and should continue to

be focused along the main east/west pedestrian spine. Three primary

clusters of educational zoning exist that are separated by open space

areas at the pep bowl and the campanile. Future education facilities

should be located adjacent to the spine. In doing so, these educational

facilities should be designed to preserve the sequence of open spaces

that expand and contract along the spine. Likewise, education zones

that are developed at the Pacific and Center locations should strive to

Future Dodge Land Use Drawing

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follow the existing high standards of the Dodge landscape. Future

development should create physical linkages between the buildings to

encourage travel through them and encourage interaction between the

students, faculty and staff of varied programs.

Zoning continues to improve with the thoughtful placement of new

facilities such as the CPACS addition, the Guinter Kahn Addition to the

Criss Library, and the Alumni Center addition. The existing zoning is also

strengthened by attention to a high-quality landscape and open space

pattern, which integrates all aspects of the campus together. In the short

term, the proposed renovation of the Engineering Building into a new

facility for CPACS will help reinforce the existing central block of

academic facilities fronting the mall and allow for the removal of the

majority of the former residential buildings that are scattered across the

west end of campus. With funding and construction of the Phase II of

CPACS, the majority of the residential annexes will be demolished. This

will allow the west area of campus to continue to function as a perimeter

support zone for the core uses of education, administration, athletics and

recreation. The renovation of the Criss Library will also focus more

activity along the pedestrian spine much as the Student Center renovation

focused activity and reinforced the spine in the center of the campus.

As the campus zoning patterns that were established for the UNO Facilities

Development Plan are implemented, minor modifications will follow in

time. The primary impact will be the continued pressure on surface

parking. This will emphasize the need for additional structured parking on

campus in order to be able to minimize the current campus parking

deficiency. The long-term goal is to provide three zones of high-density

structured parking. This will require the construction of two additional

1,200 to 1,500 low-rise parking structures similar to the existing 1,500 car

parking structure on the east side of the Dodge property.

• As the need for additional building square footage increases, additional

pressure to construct facilities in existing campus open spaces will

develop. This will be especially true at the Dodge location. This

pressure must be resisted.

• The administration zone should continue to develop around existing

Administration Facilities centered at Eppley Administration Building.

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The following items are suggested changes to the 1999 land use analysis:

• Enlarging the zone for student housing.

• Consolidation of parking in three large parking facilities located as

east, central and west low-rise parking structures.

• Addition of a University Outreach Zone adjacent to the west Dodge

Street entry.

• Increasing the green space zone at the center of campus when parking

is consolidated in three structures.

• The Student Life Zone has been increased to accommodate the

proposed expansion of the HPER facility.

DODGE PROPERTY IMAGE FEATURES

The prominent features on the Dodge property that have the most impact

on its shape and future development are Dodge Street, Elmwood Park, the

residential neighborhoods to the east and the location on a hill overlooking

the green spaces of Elmwood Park.

The potential widening of Dodge Street could have a major impact on the

look and feel of the Dodge property and should be avoided if at all

possible. Dodge Street is a significant barrier to growth on the north and

creates a difficult and often hazardous entrance. The speed of traffic and

the inability to turn left severely limits the ability of the University to

simplify and increase access from Dodge Street. Fortunately, the dedicated

planting and heavy landscaping along the street are a pleasant and

functional buffer to the noise and speed of the present traffic.

The location of Elmwood Park to the south and east contributes greatly to

the sense of college campus which exists at the Dodge site. The vistas over

golf course greens and the mature planting reinforce the sense of history

and purpose present at the Dodge location. The two strongest icons are the

Henningson Memorial Campanile and Arts and Sciences Hall’s neo-classic

entrance and rooftop cupola. Both serve as campus landmarks and impart a

collegiate atmosphere.

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CIRCULATION The UNO Strategic Plan discusses the importance of collaborative efforts

between the University and the Omaha Metropolitan Community. It

speaks of serving a diverse mix of constituents. It embraces the concept of

placing this institution in a position of service to the community. In order

to accommodate these goals, good access and efficient circulation patterns

on and around the campus sites are imperative. Circulation systems and

routes, including pedestrian, vehicular, bicycle, and transit, that provide

easy way finding to the campus visitor are crucial to the perception and use

of the campus by the public. Adequate and convenient parking is critical to

achieving the kind of campus environment discussed in the Strategic Plan.

Proposed future circulation patterns are outlined in Figure V.A.4. Details

are on the pages following.

FIGURE V.A.4

Future Dodge Circulation Patterns

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Circulation-related goals include:

• All parking areas and pedestrian circulation routes leading to and from

them must meet safety, handicapped and security requirements,

including a high level of well-designed illumination and “blue light”

security phones throughout.

• Main entrances must be prominent and accessible. These entrances

should include entry signs and structures that impart the sense of

arrival. A consistent series of prominent and tasteful entry signs should

be located at the entrances at Dodge, Pacific and Center.

The following are recommendations that address the needs of the UNO

campus during the next ten years. Each recommended circulation

improvement is briefly presented in the following discussion. Although the

improvements are not prioritized through the ten-year period, certain

phasing issues are identified.

• The Dodge property has a serious need for better vehicular access from

Dodge Street. Presently the access road turning lane in front of

Memorial Park is the only point where vehicles can enter the campus

when heading west on Dodge Street. This severely restricts access and

also places additional traffic on the circulation road. UNO should

pursue a second access point from the east by the Alumni Center either

by developing a left turn lane or an additional access road turning lane

similar to the one in front of Memorial Park. If the City of Omaha

proceeds with the proposed widening of Dodge Street, the need for this

improvement will be even greater.

• The Dodge Street intersections also need to be upgraded with

additional turn lanes and stacking space.

• The southwest section of University Drive is presently under study by a

local engineering firm. The potential realignment of the road will

allow for a student housing neighborhood.

• If the proposed two additional parking structures are constructed it will

require traffic studies. These will determine if the existing University

Drive needs to be upgraded with better intersections, additional turn

lanes and light controls at entries to Dodge Street.

• Vehicular traffic should remain on the loop perimeter roads at the

Dodge site and on 67th

Street. However, the perimeter road could be

improved to carry additional lanes of traffic; additional landscaping and

screening could be developed. Dodge Street will continue to carry

large volumes of traffic at the northern boundary.

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Transit

Large numbers of vehicles park on-site everyday. Parking is often

available, but not near a final destination. The fact that the UNO campus is

now comprised of three closely related locations exacerbates the situation.

Therefore, an efficient shuttle service among and within the UNO

locations, is still crucial. Transit goals include:

• The shuttle service among Dodge, Pacific, Center properties and

Crossroads should accommodate in-site development with bus shelters

and drop-off locations well integrated with and adjacent to the major

pedestrian spines.

Bicycle

Bicycle traffic is not heavy. However, bicycle traffic can be

accommodated on the major pedestrian spines throughout the campus

sites. Bicycle storage racks should be provided near the entrances of

major classroom buildings, and at Dodge and Pacific housing locations

and expanded to the Center property. Existing bike routes should be

expanded and enhanced to connect all three UNO locations and should be

well landscaped and defined with separate paving and crossing points. If

executed properly, these paths will be another unifying element for the

UNO Campus.

Pedestrian

Pedestrian circulation is the primary mode of movement within Dodge and

Pacific properties. Therefore, it demands prominent attention in the

Facilities Development Plan. The following are recommendations that

address the needs of UNO during the next ten years:

• UNO should add termination markers on the Dodge pedestrian spine at

the east and west ends of campus. Currently, the pedestrian spine that

connects the east and west ends of the Dodge property terminates at

parking areas at both ends. The east termination, in the vicinity of Arts

and Sciences Hall should be improved with additional landscaping, and

visitor-oriented improvements in and around the existing parking lot.

The west termination is abrupt and unfriendly to pedestrians. A well-

landscaped, well-lighted connection with pedestrian comforts should be

extended from the existing termination point at Durham Science Center

to the Alumni Center. Existing parking lots that are located adjacent to

this extension of the campus spine should be screened and their visual

impacts minimized. Outdoor student seating nodes and recreation areas

should be developed adjacent to the north entry of Arts and Sciences

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Hall, the southwest corner of Arts and Sciences Hall and the lower

level plaza of Roskens Hall.

North/south pedestrian connections from the campus spine to the

Fieldhouse and HPER on both sides of Allwine Hall are needed.

Parking and other pedestrian obstacles on the east and west sides of

Allwine Hall should be minimized in order to develop north/south

connections from the campus spine south of the Student Center to the

Fieldhouse. These routes receive heavy volumes of pedestrian traffic.

Currently, the routes are unattractive and unfriendly to pedestrians.

Parking should be eliminated to the west of Allwine Hall so that a well-

landscaped, well-lit pedestrian connection can be developed. Because

of the critical shortage of parking on campus, this should be

implemented as a part of the construction of the proposed parking

structure south of the Criss Library. The east vehicular entrance from

Dodge Street should be enhanced to create a sense of entry that

communicates an image of an academic environment and sets the tone

for the UNO campus for visitors.

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B. PACIFIC PROPERTY OVERVIEW Since the 1999 Campus Master Plan was completed, UNO has been

successful at achieving many of the goals outlined in the plan. The Peter

Kiewit Institute was just being completed and today is a vital part of the

UNO facilities. Also, since 1999 the Scott Residence Hall and Conference

Center have been completed along with Scott Village. Combined, these

two projects added housing for an additional 644 students. The

landscaping is becoming established and will improve with time. The

recent announcement of the Aksarben Village mixed use development is

eagerly anticipated by all who attend and work at UNO. Aksarben Village

will add a new level of shopping, entertainment and community that is

presently not available to those who live and work at the Pacific location.

PACIFIC FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT PLAN Additional goals that still need to be achieved for the Facilities

Development plan are listed under the 1999 Master Plan. Adjacent is a

listing of the major goals that have carried over to the 2006 plan and new

goals that are laid out for future facilities development.

1999 Master Plan

1. New College of Business Administration

2. Development of a strong landscaped pedestrian spine

3. Future Academic Building

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2006 Facilities Development Plan

1. New College of Business Administration

2. Development of a strong landscaped pedestrian spine

3. Future Academic Buildings

4. Academic Addition to The Peter Kiewit Institute

4. Additional Student Housing and Student Amenities

5. Construction of a Community Outreach Facility

6. Vehicular and pedestrian connection to Aksarben Village

7. Increased parking facilities

Facilities Development Plan The following map of the Pacific property is an illustration of the proposed

Facilities Development Plan. FIGURE V.B.1

Pacific Facilities Development Plan

Aksarben Village

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EXISTING LAND USE ANALYSIS

Since the 1999 Master Plan, the Pacific property has seen dramatic

changes in the completion of the Scott Residence Hall and Conference

Center and the development of the Scott Village Housing and support

parking. In the future, additional housing and academic facilities will

continue to strengthen the existing zoning principles.

The following map of is an illustration of the general land uses that

presently exist.

FIGURE V.B.2

Existing Pacific Land Use

Existing Pacific Land Use Analysis

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FUTURE LAND USE ANALYSIS Zoning recommendations are illustrated in figures V.B.2

FIGURE V.B.3

Goals for land use zones include:

• Develop education zones which strive to follow the existing high

standards of the Dodge property landscape, including a pedestrian

circulation spine, with physical linkages to encourage interaction

among the students, faculty and staff.

• Integrate zoning with the future Aksarben Village development to the

South. This should reflect the unique character of the Pacific site

while mirroring the strong aesthetic character of the Dodge property.

Academic uses should be located together on the west side of the

Aksarben Village

Future Pacific Land Use Analysis

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property with support uses such as housing, recreation, and general

services located on the southeast perimeter.

Zoning continues to improve at the Pacific location. It is

recommended that zoning develop using the same concepts and

pedestrian spines that have worked at the Dodge location. The Peter

Kiewit Institute building will serve as the northern anchor of the

pedestrian spine. Other future academic facilities will be located

adjacent to it with a strong north-south pedestrian spine. As at the

Dodge location, support functions and housing will be located at the

perimeter. In contrast, however, much of the parking at the Pacific

location is integrated into each land use zone, thus making it more

convenient for users. Whenever possible, future buildings located at

intersections should be positioned to create a defined urban edge that

will help the campus space transition in to the Aksarben Village

development to the south.

As more academic facilities are constructed on the Pacific property,

there will be increased pressure on surface parking. This will

emphasize the need for additional structured parking on campus or

there will be a parking deficiency. The continued pressure for

housing, academic buildings and parking will force the relocation of

athletic and recreation fields to the Center property. Other long-range

zoning goals that should be planned include:

• As the need for additional building square footage increases,

additional pressure to construct facilities in designated green space

will develop. This pressure must be resisted.

• The future of Aksarben has become better defined since the 1999

Master Plan. Aksarben Village and the Scott Technology Transfer

and Incubator Center will have a major impact on long-term

development.

• Support zones should generally remain at the perimeters of the

campus. This will allow support zones to grow as necessary, and

allow the rest of the campus to grow unencumbered.

PACIFIC PROPERTY IMAGE FEATURES In terms of image, the Pacific property is still in its formative years.

Presently the major image feature is the Peter Kiewit Institute and the

Scott Residence Hall. They are the largest and tallest facilities at this

time. The general feeling is one of new suburban development. As the

ample landscaping matures over the life of the plan and additional

academic and housing facilities are added, the property will take on a

much more established and time-honored appearance. The buildings are

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handsome and well designed with similar materials and collegiate ties to

the Dodge location.

The anticipated Aksarben Village construction will create a new edge to

the South. It will have a major impact on the look and feel. It will

increase traffic on 67th

Street and at Pine Street and will bring retail,

entertainment and business functions that were previously unavailable at

this location. If successful, it will make the Pacific property a more

defined and desirable destination.

CIRCULATION The UNO Strategic Plan discusses the importance of collaborative efforts

between the University and the Omaha metropolitan community. It

speaks of serving a diverse mix of constituents. It embraces the concept of

placing this institution in a position of service to the community. In order

to accommodate these goals, good access and efficient circulation patterns

on and around the campus sites are imperative. Circulation systems and

routes, including pedestrian, vehicular, bicycle, and transit, that provide

easy way finding for the campus visitor, are crucial to the perception and

use by the public of the campus. Adequate and convenient parking is

critical to achieving the kind of campus environment discussed in the

Strategic Plan.

Future circulation patterns are shown in figure V.B.4.

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Figure V.B.4

The following are recommendations that address the circulation needs of

the Pacific property during the next ten years. Each recommended

circulation improvement is briefly presented in the following discussion.

• Vehicular access from the south should be connected to the Aksarben

Village development at 67th

Street.

• Additional surface and or structured parking will be needed to provide

parking for future facilities. Any future construction should anticipate

the construction of additional parking.

• The University should continue to develop dedicated visitors’ parking

at key locations.

• Pacific Street will continue to carry large volumes of traffic at the

northern boundary and a major entry gateway image should be

developed at this point.

Aksarben Village

Future Pacific Circulation Patterns

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• Where the future student housing is planned, Pine Street should be

terminated as a cul-de-sac to provide a greater sense of neighborhood

and greater security for student housing.

For information on circulation recommendations for transit, bicycle and

pedestrian flow please refer to pages 44 & 45.

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C. CENTER PROPERTY OVERVIEW

The majority of the Center property was acquired by UNO in 2005. It

consists of two portions of land bisected by Papio Creek and fronted by

Center Street on the north. The largest portion is the former Chili Greens

Golf Course, which covers 56.1 acres and is on the west side of Papio

Creek. The smaller portion of land is east of the Papio Creek and is a

series of adjacent individual properties which consist of old trailer parks,

mixed residential, industrial and retail. The area is in need of urban

renewal and presently 8.6 acres have been acquired. The eventual goal is

to acquire 17 acres east of the creek. The boundaries for this 17 acres

would be Center Street on the north, Papio Creek to the west, MUD

property to the south and 64th

Street to the east. The land fronting the

creek is in the 100-year flood plain and if it is to be used for structures

they will need to be raised above the flood level.

CENTER PROPERTY FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT PLAN The Center property was not a part of the 1999 UNO Master Plan study.

Future facilities development for the Center property needs to respond to

the highest and best use for UNO and the Omaha Metropolitan Area.

Locations of future facilities are shown in Figure V.C.1. Construction of

new facilities will impact the location of future roads and utilities

infrastructure.

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The following map of the Center property is an illustration of potential

future facilities development areas.

Figure V.C.1

Center Facilities Development Plan

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EXISTING LAND USE The following map is an illustration of the general land uses that presently

exist.

FIGURE V.C.2

Future Land Use

Goals for land use zones include:

• Develop athletic and recreation facilities on the lower portions of the

former Chili Greens property which front the creek.

• Develop student housing along Center Street, west of the Papio Creek.

• Add parking to support facilities as they are completed.

• Dedicate the property east of Papio Creek to university outreach.

Specific use and location of facilities will be defined as the impact

from Aksarben Village and adjacent urban renewal projects are

completed.

Existing Center Land Use Drawing

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The following map is an illustration of the potential future land uses.

FIGURE V.C.3

Center Property Image Features Presently, there is no strong image at the Center location which is

identified with the University. As the property is cleared and redeveloped,

it should be an important priority to intentionally develop a new set of

image icons which retain linkage visually to the Dodge and Pacific

locations. Also, the use of an entry gateway or portico can define the

entry and help create an identity.

Circulation Present circulation is disjointed and difficult to access. The former Chili

Greens property can only be accessed from the South through a two-lane

commercial district road. Pedestrian trails run along the creek but do not

have access to the property. The land east of the Papio Creek is only

Future Center Land Use Drawing

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accessible from Center Street and has no through streets. Presently it is a

maze of dead-end drives in varying condition.

Future circulation planning needs to target the following items:

• Develop an entry to the Chili Greens property under Center Street

from St. Mary Street.

• Allow access from the walking bike path that runs along the creek.

• Construct a road and pedestrian circulator that connects the east and

west properties and provides easy access to the interior of the property.

• Construct internal pedestrian and bike paths that interconnect the new

structures planned for the site.

• Tie into the Aksarben Village roadways, pedestrian and bicycle paths.

Future circulation patterns are shown in figure V.B.4.

FIGURE V.C.4

Future Center Circulation Patterns

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IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS A. OVERVIEW The scope of the 2006 Facilities Development Plan is to update the 1999

Master Plan to create a flexible framework for the next seven to ten years.

This Facilities Development Plan builds on the strategies, principles and

goals of the 1999 Plan. It has been updated with new data, campus needs

and stakeholder input. The guiding principles are:

• Provide a flexible, yet comprehensive decision framework, to

guide future campus planning

• Support the goals and objectives of the Board of Regents and

the University of Nebraska

• Provide facilities that are consistent with the Strategic Planning

goals of UNO

• Create facilities that actively engage the greater community,

locally, regionally and nationally

The rollout of the Facilities Development Plan will be governed by the

strategic agenda of the University. The growth of UNO has additional

implications which will affect the success of the Facilities Development

Plan. These include:

• Limitations of UNO financial and physical resources to support

more than the present enrollment of 14,900 students

• The Regent-targeted growth of 1.5% per year for NU, equates

to 17,400 UNO students by 2015.

• The difficulty of expanding beyond existing neighborhood

boundaries and municipal parks.

VI

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• Meeting student lifestyle expectations

The following are recommendations for plan implementation for new

construction, building site analyses, studies and policies.

B. NEW CONSTRUCTION Dramatic changes have occurred at UNO since the last master plan was

prepared in 1999. The construction of many new facilities and the

renovation of numerous existing facilities have had a tremendous impact

on the functional and physical characteristics of the UNO campus. Many

of the facility improvements completed since 1999 were identified in the

previous master plan. For example, the 1999 plan projected the need for

additional student housing, centralizing student services at Eppley

Administration Building, an addition and remodel of the Criss Library, an

Alumni Center addition, an addition and upgrade of the Fieldhouse and ,

renovation of the vacated Engineering Building as a new home for the

CPACS. These projects have affected the functional and physical

characteristics of the campus. Finally, while the 1999 plan indicated a

need for additional housing on the Pacific property it was not anticipated

how rapidly these units would develop. UNO is presently in the selection

process for a developer for an additional 400 beds on the Dodge property.

A number of projects identified in the 1999 master plan have not been

started. However, in keeping with goals and objectives developed during

the 2005 UNO strategic planning process, it is as important to continue to

focus on the development of such facilities now, as it was in the previous

1990 and 1999 plan. Those projects that continue to be needed include:

• Removal of most residential annexes from their Dodge locations

• Additions to the Engineering Building for CPACS

• University Library renovation from LB 605 funds

• Weber Fine Arts additions for a Proscenium Theater and KVNO

Radio/UNO TV

• A new home for the College of Business Administration at the Pacific

location

• Renovations of Durham Science Center, Roskens Hall, Kayser Hall

• Strauss Performing Arts Center renovation and addition

• Increased campus green space and landscaping

• Additional student housing on the Pacific and Center properties

• Additional structured parking

• Utilities and infrastructure improvements from LB605 funds

• Improved campus circulation road and campus entrances

• HPER renovation and addition

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• Additional academic facilities on the Pacific property

• Development of athletic and recreation facilities on the Center

property

• Construction of university outreach facilities

• Road and infrastructure improvements on the Center property

C. CAMPUS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, LB 605 UNO has significant deferred maintenance issues with many of their

existing facilities and infrastructure. The Criss Library, Durham Science

Center, Roskens Hall, Kayser Hall, and Strauss Performing Arts Center all

will need renovation before the ten-year time frame of this plan is over.

With the passage of LB 605 there will be funding for the improvement of

the Criss Library and general utilities infrastructure improvements.

The Criss Library will use the funds for deferred maintenance of heating

and air-conditioning, replacement of lower level floor slab, electrical

upgrades, roof replacement and ADA improvement. The funds will also

be used to reconfigure the interior of the 1970s facility to meet new

student study space needs and the associated infrastructure for technology

in learning laboratories.

The funds for utility infrastructure improvements will be used to eliminate

outages such as the one which recently shut down the Dodge location for

four days. Specific uses will be the replacement of and equipment

upgrades of the infrastructure for chillers, electrical systems, steam and

chilled water distribution systems, utility tunnels, variable frequency drive

pumps, access for data and communications technology and meeting the

current fire and life safety code requirements.

D. ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL BUILDING SITES One of the goals of the Facilities Development Plan is to identify potential

new building sites that will integrate well with the existing campus

environment. These should be developed using the UNO Campus

Building Design Guidelines to ensure a harmonious fit with the existing

structures. Potential sites identified at Dodge, Pacific and Center are

shown in blue on the Future Facilities Development Maps Figures V.A,1

for Dodge, V.B.1 for Pacific and V.C.1 for Center.

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E. ADDITIONAL STUDIES Additional studies that should be undertaken at UNO to enhance the

campus facilities, way-finding and image should include:

DODGE

• Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building (HPER)

Feasibility Study

• Traffic and parking studies

PACIFIC

• College of Business Administration relocation

• Additional student housing

CENTER

• Infrastructure and development

Non-site specific studies that UNO should undertake are:

• Campus Image Study

• Updating of the campus space inventory and utilization data

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The development of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Facilities

Development Plan 2006-2015 was the result of many individuals working

together. Without the time and assistance of dedicated individuals from

many areas this plan would not have been possible. It will be impossible

to acknowledge everyone who contributed but we wish to extend our

sincere appreciation to the UNO Administration for the continued input

and support they have given to the plan and the planning process. A

special thanks goes to the members of the Steering Committee and the

Facilities Management and Planning personnel. We would also like to

thank the faculty, staff, students, alumni and community leaders who

participated in many individual meetings, focus group meetings and

review sessions. We also wish to express our appreciation for the review

and guidance given from the University Office of the President as the plan

outline and direction was developed. Thanks also to the representatives

from other organizations that participated in the planning process whose

input has truly made this UNO’s Plan.

Board of Regents Randolph M. Ferlic, Jim McClurg, Dan Connealy - Student Regent

(UNMC), Chuck Hassebrook, Drew Miller, Mike Eiberger - Student

Regent (UNK), Howard Hawks, Kent Schroeder, Steve Massara - Student

Regent (UNO), C. David Hergert, Charles S. Wilson, Matt Schaefer-

Student Regent (UNL)

President James B. Milliken

VII

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UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015

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University of Nebraska at Omaha Administration

Chancellor, Nancy Belck, Ph.D.

Assistant to the Chancellor, Sharon Ulmar, M.P.A.

Assistant to the Chancellor, Nancy Castilow, B.S

Director of Athletics, David Herbster

V.C. for Academic and Student Affairs, John Christensen, Ph.D.

Associate V.C. for Technology, John Fiene, B.G.S., M.P.A.

Associate V.C. for Student Affairs, Wade Robinson, Ph.D.

Associate V.C. for Academic Affairs, Sheri Rogers, Ph.D.

Assistant V.C. for Academic Affairs, Deborah Smith-Howell, Ph.D.

Assistant V.C. for Student Affairs, Rita Henry, Ph.D.

Associate V.C. for Reaearch, Thomas Bragg, Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor for Administration, James Buck, Ed.D.

Associate V.C. for Administration, Julie Totten, B.S.

Director of Communications, Teresa Gleason, B.A.

UNO Deans Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Shelton Hendricks, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Business Administration, Lou Pol, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Education, John Langan, Ed.D.

Dean, College of Engineering and Technology, David Allen, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media

Gail Baker, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Human Resources and Family Sciences,

Marjorie Kostelnik, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Information Science and Technology,

David Hinton, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Public Affairs and Community Service,

B.J. Reed, Ph.D.

Dean, International Studies and Programs, Thomas Gouttierre, M.A.

Dean, University Library, Stephen Shorb, M.A.

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UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015

BMWC-UDA 65

Layout and Design

BMWConsulting, Inc.

Planning Firms

BMWConsulting, Inc. (BMWC)

Omaha, NE

Urban Design Associates (UDA)

Pittsburgh, PA

Photography From UNO Website

Photos on pages: i, ii, 1, 3, 41, 43

From UNO VIEWBOOK Website

Photos on pages: 2, 8, 15, 18, 19, 25, 27, 35, 45, 53, 55, 58, 62

From Chili Green’s Website

Photos on page: 5

From UNO Archives

Photos on page: 7

From UNO 2006 Calendar, photography by Tim Fitzgerald

Photos on pages: 9, 16, 59, 64, 66

From Steve R. Adams UNO Webpage

Photos on pages: 11, 46

From Barry M. Ward

Photo on page: 54

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UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015

BMWC-UDA 66

No part of this document may be reproduced or reprinted without

permission in writing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is an equal opportunity educator

and employer with a comprehensive plan for diversity.

Copyright ©2006 University of Nebraska at Omaha

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UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015

APPENDIX

A. MAPS

VIII

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BMWC-UDA Map 1

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Dodge Facilities Development Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 2

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Dodge Existing Land Use Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 3

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Dodge Future Land Use Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 4

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Dodge Future Circulation Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 5

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Pacific Facilities Development Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 6

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Pacific Existing Land Use Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 7

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Pacific Future Land Use Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 8

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Pacific Future Circulation Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 9

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Center Facilities Development Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 10

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Center Existing Land Use Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 11

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Center Future Land Use Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 12

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Center Future Circulation Map

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BMWC-UDA Map 13

Framework

Existing Campus &

Surroundings

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Existing Campus and Surroundings Map

UNO Dodge

UNO Pacific

UNO Center

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BMWC-UDA Map 14

Open

Space Framework

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Open Space Map

UNO Pacific

UNO Center

UNO Dodge

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BMWC-UDA Map 15

Pedestrian and Bicycle Framework

Key: Bike and

Pedestrian Routes

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Pedestrian and Bicycle Route Map

UNO Pacific

UNO Dodge

UNO Center

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BMWC-UDA Map 16

Streets Framework

Key: Existing

Proposed

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Streets Framework Map

UNO Dodge

UNO Pacific

UNO Center

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BMWC-UDA Map 17

Shuttle

Circulation Framework

Key: Route

Stop

UNO Dodge

UNO Pacific

UNO Center

UNO Facilities Development Plan 2006 – 2015 Shuttle Circulation Map